TREE & LAWN CARE BLOG
How To Care For A Crepe Myrtle Tree
Crepe myrtle trees are one of the top favorite trees to plant in the southeast region. There are a wide range of hybrids that all present different colors, hardiness and bark. They are a deciduous tree and will provide showy flowers in summer time and a bright fall color shortly before they return to a dormant state.
How do I care for my crepe myrtle tree?
Proper planting
First and foremost, ensuring soil pH is slightly acidic and well draining will give you the best results. Not sure what type of soil you have? Local certified arborists can take a soil sample from the area you would like to plant to give you an inside look on what you may need to supplement with. Plant your crepe myrtle in full sun (6 hours or more per day) to get the best blooms!
Fertilization
We recommend having a tree care specialist apply a fertilizer to your soil to keep your crepe myrtle healthy and thriving.
Watch out for fungus and pests
Crepe myrtle trees are susceptible to a number of fungus and pests including:
Aphids
Spider mites
Scale
Japanese beetle
Powdery mildew
Cercospora leaf spot
Having routine tree health exams by a local certified arborist provides early intervention of any and all pests and diseases to stop them before or when they start.
Regular pruning
The basic maintenance of a crepe myrtle tree is regular tree trimming. While you should remove all dead branches throughout the year, extensive crepe myrtle trimming should only be performed in the dormant season by a reputable tree service company.
If you are interested in crepe myrtle care or have additional questions, click the link below to be connected with a local arborist today!
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Are Lace Bugs Damaging My Azaleas?
Azalea bushes are a very popular specimen for a number of reasons such as their wide variety of colors, low maintenance nature and vibrant seasonal blooms. However, they are very susceptible to a few different pests and diseases; one being the azalea lace bug.
What is the azalea lace bug?
The azalea lace bug is one of the most commonly reported landscape pests. They are named after the lace appearance on their wings. They tend to live and feed on the chlorophyll on the underside of leaves, though they are very hard to see, measuring at only 1/8 inch long.
What are the signs of the lace bug?
Since the azalea lace bug is so small, it is usually identified by the damage left behind. The most common symptoms of lace bug damage on azaleas are:
Sticky, black or rust colored substance on leaves
Bleached out or silvery looking leaves
How do I treat it?
As always, the best treatment is first prevention. Proper planting is especially important for azaleas as one getting too much sun or drought can naturally attract the lace bugs. A routine pruning maintenance and fertilization plant, customized by a lawn care specialist is recommended.
Once an azalea lace bug infestation is identified by a lawn care specialist, an insecticide will be applied. The technician will either apply the insecticide directly into the soil, spray the plant above ground, or both. The area of application will depend greatly on the severity of the infestation and the technicians recommendation. If you have lace bugs damaging your azalea bushes, click the link below to be connected with one of our plant health care specialists now!